ASCOM SafetyMonitor

Overview

The **Deep Sky Chile Safety Monitor** is an ASCOM-compliant driver that exposes the **safety status** of Deep Sky Chile observatories.

It reads the roof state of a selected observatory via the Deep Sky Chile API and converts it into the standard ASCOM SafetyMonitor IsSafe value.

Mapping:

 * **Roof open**  → IsSafe = True
 * **Roof closed** → IsSafe = False

This driver is intended for remote observatory automation systems that rely on an ASCOM SafetyMonitor to decide whether it is safe to operate equipment.

Features

 * ASCOM SafetyMonitor implementation
 * Periodic polling of the Deep Sky Chile observatories API
 * Observatory selection via dropdown list
 * Roof state-to-safety mapping
 * Stale data protection
 * Optional trace logging
 * Configurable fail-safe mode

How it Works

The driver periodically queries the API endpoint:

 * http://api.deepskychile.com/observatories

On each poll it:

 - Retrieves the list of observatories from the API.
 - Identifies the **selected observatory** (configured in the Setup dialog).
 - Reads its roofState value (typically open or closed).
 - Converts this into an ASCOM IsSafe boolean:
   * Roof open  → safe
   * Roof closed → unsafe
 - Applies stale data protection logic.
 - Exposes IsSafe to any ASCOM client application.

Requirements

To use this driver you need:

 * A Windows PC
 * The **ASCOM Platform** installed
 * An internet connection to reach the Deep Sky Chile API
 * Client software that supports ASCOM SafetyMonitor devices (e.g. N.I.N.A., Voyager, etc.)

Installation

 - Download and run the driver installer.
 - The installer will:
   * Copy the driver files to your system
   * Register the COM driver with ASCOM
   * Create the necessary ASCOM profile entries

After installation, the driver appears in the ASCOM chooser as **Deep Sky Chile Safety Monitor** (or similar).

Configuration

Open the **Setup** dialog from any ASCOM-compatible application (via the ASCOM chooser → **Properties** / **Setup**).

You can configure:

 * **API URL**
   * Default: http://api.deepskychile.com/observatories
   * Change this only if instructed by Deep Sky Chile.

 * **Observatory selection**
   * A dropdown list shows the available observatories returned by the API.
   * Select the observatory whose roof state should control IsSafe.

 * **Polling interval**
   * Defines how often the driver polls the API.
   * Choose a value that balances responsiveness with network load.

 * **Stale data multiplier**
   * Protects against using outdated information.
   * If the data is older than multiplier × polling interval, it can be treated as stale.

 * **Fail-safe mode**
   * Defines the default IsSafe value in case:
     - The API is unreachable, or
     - Data is stale or invalid.
   * Typical configuration:
     * Fail-safe to **unsafe** (IsSafe = False) for maximum safety.

 * **Trace logging**
   * When enabled, the driver logs detailed operations and any errors.

Trace logs are stored in:

 * Documents\ASCOM\Logs

Usage with Automation Software

Example workflow with N.I.N.A. or similar software:

 - Open the application.
 - For the **Safety Monitor** (or equivalent) device:
   * Open the ASCOM chooser.
   * Select **Deep Sky Chile Safety Monitor**.
   * Click **Properties** / **Setup** to configure API URL, observatory, polling, etc.
   * Connect to the driver.

From that point:

 * The application can read IsSafe from the driver.
 * Roof open → IsSafe = True → automation may start or continue imaging (depending on your rules).
 * Roof closed → IsSafe = False → automation can park the mount, close sessions, etc.

Always configure your automation software so that **IsSafe = False triggers protective actions.**

Logging and Troubleshooting

If something does not work as expected:

 - Enable **trace logging** in the Setup dialog.
 - Reproduce the issue (connection error, wrong safety state, etc.).
 - Check the log files in:
   * Documents\ASCOM\Logs

Things to verify:

 * Can your PC reach the API URL in a web browser?
 * Is the correct observatory selected in the Setup dialog?
 * Is the polling interval reasonable?
 * Is the fail-safe mode set to the desired behaviour if the API is down?

Uninstallation

To uninstall the driver:

 - Open **Windows Settings** → **Apps** (or **Control Panel** → **Programs and Features**).
 - Find **Deep Sky Chile Safety Monitor** in the list.
 - Click **Uninstall**.

The uninstaller removes all related files and registry entries.

Support

For help, contact:

 * **Cédric Thomas**
 * E-mail: [email protected]

Disclaimer

This driver depends entirely on the **Deep Sky Chile API** for the roof and safety information.

It must not be your only safety measure. Always implement additional, independent safety systems (hardware interlocks, local weather sensors, etc.) in any remote observatory.